Pump system



March 25 1924,

C. J. BURKHARDT PUMP SYSTEM 'Filed July 14. 1925 cLns a. Bnnnnann'r, or nAzLnroN, rnnnsmwenra.

Application led` July 14:, 1923. Serial No. 651,571.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that CHARLES J.. BURK- HARDT, a citizen of the vUnited States of America, residinn at Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and tate of Penns lvania,have invented certain new and use ul mprovements in Pump Systems, of which the following is a specification. M

My invention relates to pump systems and particularly to pump systems. in which the main pump has an associated priming pump, the present invention being applicable to pump systems in which both the priming pump and the main pump are automatically controlled, substantially in the lfashion indicated in the copending application of Otto Haen-tjens, filed July 14, 1923, Ser. No. 651,583. The object of my invention is to provide a. device which will automatically prevent repeated primino' operations, where the priming operation is not followed by the proper functioning of the main pump.

In the accompanying drawing a system in which my invention lis embodied is diagrammatically illustrated.

In pumping systems of the type to which the present invention relates, the main pump is commonly of the centrifugal type, into which the water is drawn from a sump by the priming pump before the cgntrifugal is set in motion. The priming pump motor is automatically started by a sump switch function.

when the Water in the sump ,reaches a pre-.

determined level. After the priming operation has been completed the circuit of thev priming pump motor is automatically interrupted by a switch simultaneously withy or shortly after the closing of the circuit of lthe centrifugal pump motor. lf, however, upon the operation of the centrifugal conditions are such that there is considerable air leakage to the centrifugal, the priming charge is lost and the centrifugal fails to The centrifugal motor circuit is interrupted automatically through appropriate devices, and the priming pump circuit again closed. The priming operation is again repeated and the centrifugal again started in motion. If the leakage is again sufficient to prevent the proper operation of the centrifugal, its notor again halts and the priming motor is again started and the cycle is repeated again and again until the attendant observes the condition and remedies the difliculty.

It is fair to assume that ifa priming operation is thrice repeated without properly startin the centrifugal, some serious leakage di culty lis present which should be remedied. The present invention provides an automatic control device which prevents the repetition of the priming operation more than a predetermined number of times.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, I have indicated at 1 the control circuit of the priming pump, and at 2 the control circuit for the centrifugal pump motor. Arranged in the circuit 1 is a sump switch 3 which closes when the Water in the sump. reaches a predetermined level. The closing of this circuit energizes the solenoid 4 which closes the .circuit of the primin pump motor. It also energizes the solenoi 5 which controls the valve in the centrif- Vugal pump casing which opens to the priming` line between the pumps. Also arranged' in the line 1 is a contactor 6 which is normally closed, but is automatically openedl simultaneously with or shortly after the closing of a float switch 7 which completes the circuit through the solenoid 8 controlling the switch in the circuit of the centrifugal pump motor. The switch 7 is associated with a float chamber arranged in the priming line between the centrifugal and the priming pumps and is float operated by the water which rises therein under the action of the priming pump, as disclosed in the copending application of Otto Haent'ens above mentioned. Shunting the switc 7 which automatically opens when the Water falls in the float chamber,'is a circuit 9` in which are arranged switches 10 and 11 associated with vacuum andvpressure regulators governing the centrifugal pump. The vacuum regulator switch 10 is normally closed. The pressure regulator switch 11 is normally open and closes onl when the centrifugal comes to speed and is delivering at the proper pressure.

The foregoing explanation of the general system will make clear the ap lication of the present invention thereto. rranged in the priming pump control. circuit 1 is a solenoid 12, the armature 13 ofwhich is connected by a link 14 to the lever 15 freel pivoted on spindle 16 carrying a pawl 17 which engages a pivoted ratchet member 18-here indicated in the formof a disc fast on the spindle 1G. Keyed to the .spindle 16 pawl 17 lfor actuation in the manner about to be described.

The operation of this device is as follows. `When the sump switch 3 closes the .priming pump motor control circuit 1, the solenoid 12 is energized and its armature 13 rises, thus lifting the lever 15. The pawl 17,

carried by the lever, rotates the ratchet disc 18 and causes the switch arm 19 to move from contact a to contact b. priming operation has been completed, and the centrifugal motor control circuit 2 closed at the float switch 7, the contacter 6 in the priming pump motor control circuit is automatically opened, thus de-energizing the solenoid 12 and permitting theA lever 15 to drop by gravity. The ratchet disc 18, however, is maintained in position by the detent 21, which engages the same. Should the centrifugal fail to come to speed, :the pressure regulator switch 11 fails to close, and as soon as the float switch' 7 opens by the fall of the water in the. float chamber, the centrifugal pump control circuit 2 is opened and the contactor G of circuit 1 again closes. vvThe cycle of operations is repeated and the switch lever 19 moves from contact b to contact c on this second closure of the priming pump control circuit 1. Should the cycle of operations be again repeated, the switch arm 19 moves from contact c to contact d. l

Three priming operations have now occurred without setting the centrifugal in operation. Upon the succeeding closure of the priming motor control circuit l, the switch lever 19 moves `from the contact d to Off position ate, and the circuit is automatically opened at this point before the priming pump has an opportunity to function. It cannot be again started until the circuit 1 is closed by the return of the ratchet disc 18 so that contact may be established by the switch arm 19 with one or the other'of the contacts a, b, 0 or d of the series 26. The release of the ratchetdisc 18 may be accomplished either by hand or automatically by the energization of the solenoid 25. The automatic energization of the solenoid 25 occurs wihen the pressure regulator switch 11 closes circuit 2. In the latter case the armature 24 rises and lifts the detent 21, thus holding the awl 17 out of engagement with the rato et disc 18, whereupon the latter returns to normal position through the action of a return spring or counteriveight such as 29.

it is obvious that when, after the priming operation 'is performed, the .centrifugal starts and properly functions, the return of the ratchet disc 18 to normal position occurs automatically as soon as the pressure regulator switch 11 is closed by the delivery pressure of the. centrifugal pump.

Qbviously the'contact series 2() could be arranged with equal effectiveness in 'the circuit 2 of the main pump motor. Aga-in, it is not essential that both pumps be driven by electric motors. Nor is 'the conception limited to electrically driven motors--it being readily applicable to steam, air or otherwise driven pumps- The construction illustrated is obviously but a typical embodiment of the invention, which may be modified in many ways without departing from what I claim.

I claim-.-

1. In a pumpsystem, a main pump, a priming pump therefor, means automatically starting the main pumpwhen primed, means automatically stopping the priming pump after it has performed its function, means automatically restarting the priming pump on failure of the main pump to function after priming, and means limiting the repetition of the cycle.

2. In a priming pump system, a main pump, a priming pump therefor, an electric motor for driving one of said pumps, means automatically starting the main pump when primed, means automatically stopping the priming pump after it has performed its function, means automatically restarting the priming pump on failure of the main pump to function after priming, and means interrupting the circuit of said pump moino tor after predetermined repetitions of the' cycle.

3. In a priming pum system, a main pump, a priming pump tiierefor, an electric motor for driving one of said pumps, meansl automatically starting the main pump when primed, means automatically stopping the priming pump after it has performed its function, means automatically restarting the priming pump 0n failure ofthe main pump to .function after priming, and means interrupting the circuit of said pump motor after predetermined repetitions of the cycle, together with means for automatically -iestoring the iiiterrupter device to normal condition on functioning of the main pump.

4. In a priming pump system, a main pump, a priming pump therefor, an electric motor for driving one of said pumps, means automatically starting the main pump when primed, means automatically stopping the priming pump after it has performed its function, means I automatically restarting condition on functioning of the main ump the priming pump on failure of the main within the permissible repetitions o the pump to function after priming, and means cycle. 10 interrupting the circuit of said pump mo- In testimony whereof I have signedmy s tor after predetermined repetitions of the name to this'specification.A

cycle, together with means for automatically restoring the interrupter device to normal v CHARLES J. BURKHARDT. 

